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But in the downtime -- when strategy and analysis are put on pause -- the conversations regarding how the postseason might affect the free agent market do, indeed, surface.

What do these playoff performances mean to the price tags?

“Nobody remembers how you start. They remember how you finish,” said Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. “That’s why it matters. As a player you always want to finish strong, because they remember that.”

Of the potential Red Sox free agents who are currently playing, perhaps the one that has been referenced the most when it comes to this dynamic is Jacoby Ellsbury. With each hit, stolen base or run scored in the American League Division Series, murmurs regarding the outfielder’s asking price this offseason have gotten louder and louder.

After the year he had, Ellsbury was going to make his money no matter what. It’s just that he might be making more now. Fact is, Scott Boras’ binder is getting bigger by the game, and that usually translates into more years and dollars.

This is how it works.

Bring up the dynamic in a clubhouse, and all sorts of examples will spring to mind. From the Red Sox’ side of things, there was Derek Lowe in 2004, when he made people forget a regular season that included a 5.42 ERA by playing a starring role in the Sox’ World Series run. The result? A four-year, $36 million deal from the Dodgers.

John Lackey was going to be a semi-hot commodity on the free agent market after the ’09 season even without a single playoff start, having finished the regular season with a 3.83 ERA. But when the righty pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings against the Red Sox on the Fenway Park mound, the decision-makers (particularly ownership) took note. The result? A five-year, $82.5 million deal from the Sox.

If Marco Scutaro doesn’t win the World Series MVP (and hitting .328 in the postseason) last year, would he have gotten his current three-year, $20 million deal from the Giants? Probably not.

Then there is the one player many others love to identify as the perfect example of a postseason payoff: Carlos Beltran.

In ’04, Beltran had a very solid season for both Kansas City and Houston, combining for 38 home runs and an .918 OPS in 159 games. But what he did in the postseason for the Astros took his free agent numbers to a new level.

In 12 playoff games in ’04, Beltran totaled eight home runs with a .435 batting average and 1.557 OPS. The result? A seven-year, $119 million deal from the Mets.

Beltran will once again be a free agent after this season, and when he hits the market, selling the 36-year-old will be appreciably easier because of his career .345 batting average, 16 home runs, and 1.124 OPS in the postseason.

“I look at guys like Carlos Beltran, not saying he was a great player to that point, having a good postseason, and looking at what he’s done over a long career of postseason play, and you have to value that,” said Red Sox outfielder Shane Victorino. “That’s when you want your players to shine the most.”

While Ellsbury excelled in the ALDS, the other three had struggles. Drew went 2-for-15 while being pinch-hit for in Game 4, while Napoli had two hits in 13 at-bats. Saltalamacchia started strong, with a pair of hits and three RBIs in Game 1, but struggled a bit in his two games at Tropicana Field. All three, however, have had the kind of successful seasons which such a brief sample size won't be able to outweigh. (They all figure to be in the conversation for best free agent option at their respective positions.)

As the players were pouring champagne over each other Tuesday night, it was not something that was dominating their mindset. As Victorino explained, that’s not how it works.

“You have to take value. That has to come into play. But as a player if you think about it -- you can’t,” the outfielder said. “After the fact, you might think, ‘That was nice. Hopefully this helps my value.’ But speaking as a player that’s been part of winning and losing teams in the World Series, there’s not enough time to think about that. You’re so focused on wanting to win. That’s your goal. You forget about whether or not you’re going to be here or there next year.”

But there are always the stories that seem tantalizing for those heading to the market. Remember Larry Brown, the MVP of Super Bowl XXX who parlayed his two-interception performance for the Cowboys into a huge deal with the Raiders? He was waived after just 12 games in Oakland, reminding all of the kind of player he was prior to correctly reading Steelers quarterback Neil O’Donnell’s eyes. But he got his money, and he had the big stage to thank for it.

The Red Sox now are guaranteed to play at least four more postseason games. And while winning is the be-all, end-all, there is an unspoken understanding this time of year -- October flash is quick to turn into November and December cash.

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